In 1855, Joechem (James) Rolfs 31, born in Holstein, Germany, and his wife, Abel (Huch) 26, along with their two small children, Fred, about 2 years and Henry, an infant, left the Hamburg, Germany port for the United States. The family landed in America at New York on May 8, 1855.
His parents, J. F. and Catherine Rolfs, 60 and 57 years old, who are also listed as passengers, came with them.James applied for citizenship in Muscatine on January 11, 1856. They settled on a small farm near Davenport, Iowa, where three more children were born, Chris in 1858, Louis in 1859 and Wilhelmena (Minnie or Mena) in 1860.

The 1860 census shows the family living in Muscatine, Iowa. P.O. Box Blue Grass, Scott County. Abel died in 1862. Joechem volunteered for the Civil War on September 18, 1863, and he was
discharged August 9, 1865. He married his wife's older sister, Elsaba Huch. He moved with his new wife and children to Douglas County in 1868 and lived in McArdle Precinct in 1885.